Heating and air conditioning unit



D. H. PowERs HEATING :AND IR CONDITIONING UNIT Aug. 19, 1941.

Fild Dec. 14, 1938 3 sheets-sheet 1 ST QSO Aug. 19', 1941.l

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HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING NIT v Filed Dec. 14, 19:58 s 'sheets-sheet 2 l .my E; .3 .Y ,y

ATTORNEYS Aug. 19, 1941. D. H. PowERs HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING UNII 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 14, 1938 4 a a2 o M INVENTOR :fLjPcwer 11% ATTORNEYS Mm a m Patented Aug# 1 9, l41

` UNITED STATES PATENr carica HEATING AND Am coNnrrlioNrNa wir Donald H. Powers, Tacoma, Wash. I Application December i4, i938, serial No. 245,730

. 2 Claims.

My present invention relates to an improved .heating and air conditioning unit involving the useof a hot air furnace for domestic and other purposes.

plication Ser. No. 129,251, now Patent No. 2,225,181. The furnace may b'e of the liquid or gaseous fuel type, and as here illustrated embodies an oil burner to which the supply of fuel air for combustion is fed under pressure, as by l a fan, when the furnace is in active operation. During the intermittent intervals when the oil burner, under thermostatic or other sui-table automatic control, is inactive, the fan for the fuel air performs the functions of an automatl5 ically closed valve which cooperates with a fluid pressure control device in the smoke pipe of the furnace, to seal the interior of the-heating units against escape of gases-of combustion. In this manner the eiiiciency of the furnace is greatly V enhanced, and the heating elements retain the generated heat within the appliance, even though the `oi1 burner is inactive, with only a minimumv loss of heat through the smoke pipe or chimney.

This application for patent is a continuation in part of applicants co-pending ap- 5 partly, in section showing the oil burner and itsv fuel-air fan-blower, the burner being inactive and the fan blower performing the functions of a closed valve to prevent transfer of air currents between the interior and the exterior of the furnace. n

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, with the oil burner active and the vanes of the fan-blower open and directing currents of fuel air through the nozzleof the burner to the interior of the furnace. I

Figure 6 is a sectionaldetail view of the counterweighted valves or dampers mounted on and.

`in the smoke pipe as it extends to the chimney or smoke outlet flue, which co-operate with the fuelair fan blower in sealing the interior of the appliance against escape of gases of combustion during the intervals when the oil burner isin- In combination with a main or primary heat- P', so that the cabinet forms a heat insulating ing chamber for the air I also employ a secondary heating unit or pre-heater, a warm air chamber in communication with the pre-heater and the main or primary hot air chamber, and a differential fluid` pressure operated valve or damper is .30

provided, preferably 'in the cold air intake pipe, for sealing the* air chambers against loss of heat, except for the customary outlet of hot air from the main hot air chamber, and to preventingress of cold air ythrough the cold air pipe, or a,"

return pipe in the hot air heating system.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention.

Figure 1 is a vernam, longitudinal sectional 40.

view of an appliance embodying my invention, the arrows illustrating the ow of air currents irom the cold-air intake pipe to the warm' air forms an insulation jacket laround the heating 5o units of the appliance. l

Figure 3 is a perspective view from the front of the appliance, with the upper portion in section, and other parts broken awayfor convenience ot illustration.

Figure 4 is a,pers pective view enlarged and 55| net 'ot the appliance.

jacket about the interior units of the appliance to prevent undue radiation ofheat to th'e interior of the room in which the appliance is located. x In the front compartmentpf the cabinet is located the furnace proper comprising a brick firevpot 2 at the bottom of the upright heating or .combustion chamber-3 having `the usual furnace door 4 and terminating in a dome at its upper end.. In Figures 1, 2 and 3, a standard type of oil burner is indicated as a whole by the letter B, with its nozzle 2| projecting through the iront wall of the nre-pot to the interior thereof.

The combustion chamber 3 is surrounded byv a spaced cylindrical casing i, which forms an annular .air space 6 about the 'shell 3 of the combustion chamber, and this annular space forms', a part of the hot-air outlet chamber 'I extending over the upper end of thecombustion chamber.

5 From this hot-air outlet chamber 1, hot air curnrents ilow upwardly and out through one or more hot air pipes l `which distribute the heat to the usual outlets, as registers, in the various rooms of a house or dwelling.

In combination with the furnace and its hotyair outlet chamber "l I also employ a secondary heating unit closely. associated therewith and 1ocated within the rear compartment of the cabi- Cold air is suppliedto the top of this secondary heatingunit through'pipe 9, which may be the return pipe of a domestic hot-air heating system or the pipe may be vented to the atmosphere for a fresh supply of air. In

Figure 1 a typical air filter .I0 is illustrated in the cold-air pipe, and a suction-opened, pivoted damper or valve II is also located f'in the cold air pipe, which valve automatically swings to closed position against ingress of cold air, Whentthe differential or cold air pressure ceases to hold the valve or damper open.

'The coldv air pipe 9 furnishes air to be heated to the cold air intake chamber I2 located at the top lof the cabinet and fashioned as adome for the upper portion of an air-heating drumV I3, which is of cylindrical shape and mountedI within and spaced from the walls of the rear compartment ,of the cabinet I. Within this rear compartment and below the elevated pre-heating drum I3 a warm-air cham- -ber'Il is provided, in which is located a rotary fan. preferably of the low-speed type which comprises a center-intake impeller I 5 that is operated byv an electric motor lipreferably located inthe impeller compartment or warm air chamber. This warm-air .chamber receives air currents from the intake pipe 9 after they have been passed through the'secondary heating unit, and the center-intake fan. or impeller I6 impels the air currents through its outlet nozzlel I1 into the annular heating space forming the lower portion of the main hot air chamber 1 over the fur.- nace. 'I'he down draft induced by the impeller from the cold air pipe through the secondary heating unit reduces the pressure at the Afurnaceside of the damper II, andthe greater pressure `against the outer side of the damper causes the latter to swing inwardly to admit air currents. -When the fimpeller is inactive and the pressures at opposite sides of the damper II tend .to become equalized, the damper automatically closes. In this manner, during the At the front of the furnace or appliance, and within the housfhg B a suitable oil burner l is inclosed, and its nozzle 2| projects through the wall o1' the nre-box 2 as best seen in Figure 1. Fuel-air for the burner is supplied thereto through avbottom opening of the hood or heusing B, and this fuel-air isblown to and through the nozzle under forced draft by means of a specially constructed fan-blower, which not only performs the functions of a fan-blower while the oil burner is active, but also, automatically operates as a valve orv closure for the furnace.

against ingress of air to, and egress of air from, the :tire-box, during the intervals oftime that the oil burner is inactive.

The oil burner, which is preferably operated by an electric motor M under proper controls,

as is alsothe impeller motor I6 provided with proper controls, are preferably synchronized in their operations, so that they become active and inactive simultaneously.

'Ihe fan blower or rotary blower for the fuel-f air to 'the nozzle of the furnace comprises a number of radially projecting vanes 22 mounted on the operating shaft 23, and these vanes are centrifugally opened for action by power froml the motor'M, as in Figure 5, where the fan is blowing a blast of fuel air into the furnace. When the motor M is cut oil. and the oil burner becomes inactive, springs 23 on' pins 24 that are mounted on each vane, automatically return the blades to closed posltion,"and in this 'position the vanes form a cone-shaped or circular valve extending transversely oi the cylindrical portionl B' of the burner, as in Figure .4. In this closed positionthe vanes of the fan prevent egress of air from the nre-box and also prevent y ingress-of air4 to the fire-box, thus sealing the intervals when the oil burner is oi or inactive,

and the impeller I5 is idle, the warm air within -the sealed appliance cannot be cooled by ingress- I3 is fashioned with upper and lower exteriorannular flanges I3a and I3' that co-act with the cabinet walls and a partition y1P' to form the in.

sulating jacket about the secondary heating unit, whilethe impeller-comp'artment Il, located below this unit, is provided with a door Il, which,

like all other portions of the appliance,except the hot air outlet pipes, are sealed against waste of heat.

In theA upper part of the main heating charnlber 1 Is located a humidifier or air moistener |19 in the path lofthe convectional air currents, and the supply oi' water thereto may be automatically replenished through thepipe 20 under suitable 'control means.

It will thus be apparent that theimpeller I5 located intermediate the cold air pipe and the front end of the furnace against loss of heat,

when the oil burner is inactive.

As indicated bythe 'arrows in Figurel, the gases of combustion pass from the interior of the main combustion chamber 3 through av horizontal pipe or jointed thimble 25 that passes throught-.he furnace wall, the spaced partitions' P and P' and an opening in the wall of `the chamber` I3, into the interior of a cylindrical heating .drum 26, closed at top and bottom and mounted concentrically withinf the air-drum I3, and spaced therein tov form an annular downdraft air passage 21 from the cold air chamber I2, to the chamber I4.

This heating'drum of hot gases of combustion is fashioned with a central concentric sleeve 28 open at' top and bottom for passage Aof down draft. air currents, and the interior of the sleeve is fashioned with radial fins -or bladesv 29 for radiating heat tothese air currents passing from chamber I2 to chamber I4.

The hot gases of combustion, as indicated by the arrows, pass through the closed gas-drum and around the air-sleeve, and then pass from the lower end of the gas-drum or smoke-drum hot air pipe a's well as. between the primary heating unit 'and the secondary heating unit, when in operation induces a down-draft through the cold air chamber and the secondary heating unit into the impeller compartment, and the impeller, under forced draft passes 'the warm-aircurrents from the pre-heater to the main hot air chamber 1, from which the hot air is distributed through the hot air outlet pipes 8. 'Y

to the smoke pipe 30, which is connected to this gas drum or radiator'26, extends through sealed openings in the walls of the'air drum-I3 andV Y the rear wall of the cabinet.

The down-draft air. currents passing from chamber 4I2 are thus heated by contact and ra# diation from the-exterior of the radiator 26, as` well as by contact. and radiation as they pass4 throughthe central sleeve of the radiator 28.

As best seen in Figures 1 and 6 a differential fluid pressure control device for the gases of Vcombustion is mounted in and on the smoke pipe intake 30, preferably within the room r space in which l ferental fluid pressureV fromhot gases of combustion at the furnace side of the device, and

atmospheric or barometric pressure at the outer side' of the control device. The control device Vincludes a hood 3l mounted on the exterior of the smoke pipe 30 and open to the interior of the. smoke pipe, as well as to the atmosphere, and at 32'an operating damper 33 is pivoted to swing to open and closed positions within the hood.

Within the smoke pipe a second damper 34 is pivoted at 35 to control the ow of gases of combustion through the smoke pipe. The pivotal movement of the operating damper 33 is counterbalanced by means of two weights 36` and 31, one suspended exterior of and 'at each side of the smoke pipe 30, by means of wires or links 36 and 3|"connected with the pivotal support of the operating damper 33. These two dampers 33 and 34 are connected to move synchronously by means of a coupling linkv or wire indicated at 38 and connected with the pivotal members of the two dampers.A Y

The weights 36 and 31 are set in a 4predetermined rela'tion in order to counterbalance the 'two dampers 33 and 34 in closed positions. When the oil burner is ignited and' the gases of coml bustion reach the smoke pipe 30 so that the con-` vectional currents of hot gases enter the hood 3| and impinge against the operating" damper 33, these expanded gases overcome the atmospheric pressure on the operating damper 33 and the latter is swung open, carrying with it the control damper 34 to provide draft of the smoke or hot gases to the chimney. When the oil burner is cut off, or rendered inactive and the travel of hot gases or currents of gases of combustion ceases, the gas-pressure within the hood 3l is reduced and the atmospheric pressure at the l opposite side of the operating damper swings Athe latter to closed position.` This closing movement of the operating rdamper also causes the control damper 34 to swing to closed position transversely of the smoke pipe thereby cutting oijE draft of smoke or hot gases of combustionfroxn the pipe 30 above the damper 34. of the control damper is not of necessity an air or gas-tight seal, but on the, other-,hand the counterbalanced weights are set in a predetermined relation so that the "closedf' position of the4 control damper permits a minimum venting of the interior of the furnace.

Thus the gases of combustionin the furnace are sealed against escape at the/front of the furnace by the air-fan and at the rear by the con- 'Ihis closed 'position trol device during the intervals that the oil burner is cut off by thermostatic control or other suitable control. These retained gases of combustion, instead of being wasted by draft through the smoke stack or chimney, are utilized for 'continuing the heating operation after the oilburner has been shut oi. The cutting off of access of cold air to the interior of the fire-pot of the furnace permits the furnace to retain itsv stored heat for a considerable period after the oilburner is cut off. Under these conditions, the airheating furnace may operate as much as 60% of the time on sealed heat or stored heat within 'the furnace, resulting in a substantial reduction in the consumptionl of fuel.

In the various air chambers and air circulation,v the plenum system of ventilation is employed Vin which the air is forced by the impeller I5, and

following the convection currents the hot air is.

displaced from the main hot `air chamber V'l by the induction of cold air through the cold air pipe or return pipe 9.

- The sealing or retention of the heat, `after the oil burner becomes inactive,` in the 'rebox and combustion chamber 3, as well as within thesmoke drum or gas drum 26 and connecting parts,

prevents any substantial inrush of cold air down i ,through the chimney to the furnace, as well as A Valso preventing the heated air being drawn by convection .up through the chimney.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new Vand desire to secure by Letters Patent is:`

1. In a hot air heating unit, the combinations with a furnace having a closed' combustion chamber, agfuel burner` and means including an intake port-for feeding fuel-air to said chamber, Y

a second closed heat-radiating chamberand a iiue uniting said ychambers for transfer of gases of combustion, and an outlet pipe connected to said second chamber, of means'whereby said intakeport is closed when the fuel burner becomes inactive, a damper inthe outlet pipe, and differential fluid pressure operated meansrexterior a of the pipe whereby said damper is automatically closed when the fuel-burner becomes inactive.

2. In an air heating unit adapted to be sealed for storage of heat, the combination with a furnace having a combustion chamber, an oil-burner, means including an open-intake port for feeding fuelair under pressure to said chamber, a closure for the port, a gas outlet pipe in communication .with 'said chamber and a damperin said pipe, of means whereby said intake port is y automatically sealed by the closure when the oil burnerbecomes inactive, a fluid pressure op-` erated control device mounted adjacent said Y Y damper for closing the latter when the oil burnerv becomes inactive, and operative means connect-l ing said device and the damper.

. DONALD H. Pownas. 

